Time-schedule indicator.



Patented May l I4, I90l.

"` ATENT Ormea.

CHARLES H. KELLOGG, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TIME-SCHEDULE. INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N0. 674,032, dated May 14,1901. Application iiled August 25,1900. Serial No. 28,019. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES H. KnLLocc,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements inTime-Schedule Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a time-schedule indicator designed to be usedmore especially by motormen and locomotive-engineers in place of thetimepieces ordinarily employed.

The object of my invention is the provision of a reliable indicator ofthis character which shows at a glance and at short intervals along theline of the railway whether or not the motorman or engineer is runningaccording to his schedule.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front view of my improvedindicator. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical section of the lower portion of the indicator in line 3 3, Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the motor in line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5is an enlarged vertical section in line 5 5, Fig. 2, showing one of thebelt-tighteners. Fig. 6 is a detached side View of the pulley containingthe motor. Fig. 7 is a crosssection of the motor-shaft in line 7 7, Fig.3. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the stationarygear-wheel of the motor-train and its clamping device.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several iigures.

The parts of the indicator are closed by an upright case A, which issubstantially oblong in form. Its front wall A preferably recedes towardthe upper end of Jthe case and is provided with an opening a, which isclosed by a pane of glass or other transparent material.

B is a traveling indicating belt or band which runs around horizontalguide pulleys or drums B B2, journaled in the upper and lower portionsof the case, and which is partly exposed through the opening a. Thesepulleys are provided with marginal flanges for retaining theindicating-band thereon, and the upper pulley is vertically movable inthe case and provided with a suitable tightener for keepingthe belttaut. In the construction shown in the drawings each end of the upperpulley-shaft c passes through a vertical slot o', formed in the sidewall of the case and rests in a yielding segmental bearing c2, as shownin Fig. 5. This bearing is arranged at the upper end of a rod c3, whichis guided vertically in a barrel c4, secured to the outer side of thecase A, and which is pressed upwardly by a spring c5. This springsurrounds the rod c3 and bears at its upper end against a collar o,secured to the rod, and at its lower end against the closed bottom ofthe barrel c4. The slots c and the yielding shaft-bearings c2 arecovered by a housing c7, secured to the outer side of the case.

The endless band B is provided on its face with the names of some or allof the crossstreets or stations along the railway-line on which theindicator is used, and the case is provided at one side of its opening awith a mark or pointer CZ, past which said names move successively asthe band travels around its Yguide-pulleys. The'band is movedcontinuously at a slow uniform speed by a clockwork or other suitablemotor, which drives one of the guide-pulleys B B2.

In the construction shown in the drawings the motor consists of aclockwork which is arranged within the large drum B2 and which is gearedwith said drum in such manner as to turn the same on its shaft, andthereby drive the indicatingband B. The shaft of the drum B2 consists oftwo sections e e'. The section @forms the winding-shaft of the clockworkmotor and is journaled in openings formed in the adjacent side wall ofthe case A and in a partition E of said drum, said shaft bein@ rovidedat its proectinLr end with a 1 knobc2forturningit. Theot-hershattscctione is non-rotary, and its outer end is rigidly secured by a set-screwf orother means in a collarf, having a flange f2, which is secured to theside wall of the case. The inner end of the fixed shaft-section e' issupported in a cylindrical socket f3, formed in the inner en d of thewinding-shaft e. The drum B2 is free to turn upon the shaft-sections ee.

gis the motor-spring,surrounding the Winding-shaft e and secured at itsinner end to the latter and at its outer end to a cross-pin g, securedat its ends to the partition Eand one of the heads of the drum B2.

h is a gear-wheel secured to the Windingspindle e and meshing with apinion h', secured to a counter-shaft t'. The latter is journaled in theleft-hand head of the drum B2 and in a bearing t", securedto thepartition E.

ft2 is a gear-wheel secured to the counter- Shaft '12 and meshing with anormally stationary gear wheel or pinion j, mounted on the fixedshaft-section e. This pinion is arranged loosely on its shaft or arborand is normally held against turning thereon by a dished friction diskor washer'y'whieh is clamped against the inner side of the pinion byscrew-nutsj2j3, applied to said arbor, as shown in Fig. 8. Any othersuitable holding or coupling device may be employed, if desired.

When the motor-spring'g is wound up, it tends to turn thewinding-spindle c and the counter-shaft i, geared therewith. As thegear-wheelj is stationary and the gear-wheel 112,y which meshestherewith, is compelled to turn by the motor-spring, the latter wheel iscaused to revolve around said stationary gearwheel similar to aplanet-gear, thereby carrying the drum B2 and the inclosed motor aroundwith said planet-wheel and actuating the traveling indicating-band.

The clockwork is provided with an escapement K of any suitable orwell-known construction. The scape-wheel 7a of the escapemeut is gearedwith a stationary wheel 7c by an intermedare gear-train 702763104705706. This stationary gear-wheel is formed on or securedl to thestationary gear-pinion j, as shown in the drawings, so as to be heldfrictionally on the arbor e', like the pinionj. y

M isa movable stop-bolt or catch, whereby the motor-drum B2 may beinterlocked with the case A for holding the drum against turning inwinding Athe clockwork. This bolt slides in an opening formed in one ofthe side walls of the case, and its inner end is adapted to enter one ofan annular row of holes n, formed in the adjacent head of the drum B2.

The bolt is normally held in its retracted position, in which it clearssaid drum, by a spring n', applied to the same between its head and theouter side of the case, the bolt being retained in its opening by anenlargement or shoulder formed thereon on the inner side of the. case,as shown in Fig. 3.

The street or station names on the band B are arranged in regular orderand are properly spaced relatively to the varying distances between thecross-streets or stations designated by the names and the speed at whichthe band is moved by the motor, so that the time required .by the bandto travel a distance equal to the distance from one name of the band tothe next-corresponds to the predetermined period of time allowed themotorman or engineer to cover the distance between the correspondingstreets or stations accordingtotheschedule. Forexample,wvhen the name onthe band designating Allen street arrives opposite the pointer d of theindicator, as shown in the drawings, the car, if running according tothe schedule, should at that time pass said street. If said name hasmoved beyond the pointer when the car arrives at Allen street, 'themotorman knows that he is behind time, while if said name has notreached the pointer when the car arrives at Allen street he knows thathe is ahead of time. He can thus tell at a glance at any point along theline whether heis running according to the prescribed schedule or notwithout being required to remember at what street or station he ought tobe at a given time and looking at his watch for the time, as isnecessary under the ordinary system.

By the use of my improved indicator the motorman or engineer is keptinformed of his running time at frequent intervals along the line, andhe can therefore run closely on schedule time.

The indicating-band B preferably bears two series of street or stationnames, the second series follo'wing the first and being arranged to readin the reverse order thereto and so that one-revolution of the bandcovers the running time of a round trip, including the stop at thetermini of the line. ln this case a sufficient space is left on theindicatingband between the last street-name of the first series and thefirst name of the second or return series to allow for the time that thecar lays over at the terminus of the line before returning or the timerequired to change the guards of trolley-cars at either end of the line.The indicating-band can be shifted by hand for properly setting the samewith reference to the pointer d by simply turning the winding-shaft bymeans of its knob e2. The winding-shaft is free to turn in theright-hand side wall of the case A and on the arbor e', and as the drumB2 is connected with the windingsha'ft by the motorspring g and thecross-pin the same is compelled to turn with said shaft. If the normallystationarygear-wheels j and 1c' were fixed to their arbor c', they wouldprevent this manual turning of the motordrum; but as they are onlyfrictionally clamped upon said arbor by the washer] and nutsj2 jg theyturn on the arbor and permit the rotation of the drum. In the normaloperation of the indicator the friction between said gear-wheels andtheir arbor is, however, sufficient to hold the same against turning.

I claim as my inventionl. In a time-scheduleindicator, the combinationwith an inclosingcase having an index, guide-pulleys arranged in saidcasing, and a traveling indicating-band applied to said pulleys andprovided with the names of stations or cross-streets spaced relativelyto the distances between the same, of a motor for imparting a uniformmovement to said band, and a coupling device interposed between saidmotor and one of said pulleys and driving the same in the normalcondition of the parts but permitting the driven pulley and the band tobe shifted independently of the motor for setting the band withreference tc said index, substantially as set forth.

2. In a time-schedule indicator, the combination'with an inclosing casehaving anind'ex,

TCO

guide-pulleys arranged in said casing, and a traveling indicating-bandapplied to said pulleys and provided with the names of stations orcross-streets spaced relatively to the distances between the same, of amotor for imparting a uniform movement to said band, gear-Wheelsinterposed between said motor and one of said pulleys, one of saidgear-wheels being friction ally mounted on its shaft to turn therewithbut capable of being turned on said shaft independently of said motor inshifting the driven pulley and the band, for setting the latter Withreference to said index, substantially as set forth.

3. In a time-schedule indicator, the combination With an inclosing casehaving an opening or window in its front Wall and containing guidepulleys or drums, of a motor-springconnected at its outer end With oneof said drums and at its inner end With a Winding-shaft, a station arygear-Wheel arranged concentrically with said drum, a planet-gear carriedby said drum and meshing with said stationary gearwheel, gearing fortransmitting motion from said winding-shaft to said planet-gear, and atraveling indicating-band running around said drums and provided on itsface with the names of cross-streets or stations along the railway-line,substantially as set forth.

4. In a time-schedule indicator, the combination with an inclosing casehaving an opening or Window in its front Wall and containing guidepulleys or drums, of a motor-spring connected at its outer end with oneof said drums and at its inner end with a Winding-shaft, a normallystationary gear-Wheel Which is friction-ally held against turning on itsarbor, a planet-gear carried by said drum and meshing with saidstationary gear-Wheel, gearing for transmitting motion from saidWindingshaft to said planet-gear, and a traveling indicating-bandruiming around said drums and provided on its face with the names ofcross-streets or stations along the line of the railway, substantiallyas set forth.

5. In a time-schedule indicator, the combination with an inclosing casehavingan opening or window in its front Wall and containing guidepulleys ordrums, of a motor-spring connected at its outer end With oneof said drums and at its inner end With a Windingshaft, a stationarygear-Wheel arranged concentrically with said drum, a planet-gear carriedby said drum and meshing With said stationary gear-Wheel, gearing fortransmitting motion from said Winding-shaft to said planetgear, anescapement for controlling the rotation of said motor-drum, and atraveling band running around said drums and provided on its face Withthe naines of cross-streets or stations along the railway-line,substantially as set forth.

6. Ina time-schedule indicator, the combination with an inclosing casehaving an opening or Window iu its front Wall and containing guidepulleys or drums, one of said drums having a shaft composed of a rotarysection forming a Winding-shaft and a non-rotary section secured to thecase and carrying a pair of normally stationary gear-Wheels WhichV arefrictionally held against turning thereon, of a motor-spring arranged inthe drum having the sectional shaft and connected at its outer end Withsaid drum and at its inner end with said Winding-shaft, a planet-gearjournaled in said drum geared with said Winding-shaft and meshing withone of said stationary gearwheels, an escapernent which controls therotation of said motor-drum and Which is geared With the other of saidstationary gear-Wheels, and a traveling band running around said drumsand provided on its face with the names of cross-streets or stationsalong the railwayline, substantially as set forth.

7. In a time-schedule indicator, the combination with an inclosing casehaving an opening or Window in its front Wall and containing guidepulleys ordrums, of a motor-spring connected at its outer end with oneof said drums and at its inner end with a Windingshaft, a stationarygear-Wheel arranged concentrically with said drum, aplanet-gearjournaled in said drum and meshing with said stationarygear-wheel, gearing for transmitting motion from said Winding-shaft tosaid planetgear, a traveling indicating band running around said drumsand provided on its face with the names of the streets or stations alongthe railway-line, and a retractable stop-bolt arranged on the case andadapted to engage with said motor-drum for holding the saine againstturning, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 21st day of August,

CHARLES H. KELLOGG. Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, JNO. J. BONNER.

IOO

